Lunch From a Different Point of View
by Samwise Baggins
Summary: A restday picnic turns out to be lunch for an unexpected guest. Islinne 10P


Title: Lunch... From a Different Point of View

Author: Sam

Series: Islinne Weyr

Rating: T: violence

Summary: A restday picnic turns out to be lunch for an unexpected guest.

Characters in order of appearance: Train Lad Kayle; Apprentice Reuben; Train Lad Taiony; Train Leader Caiony; Train Woman Tainna

Spoiler: Not really, no, unless you are unfamiliar with anything basic in the _Dragonriders_.

Category: Drama, General

Disclaimer: "_Dragonriders of Pern (R)"_ is a registered trademark to Anne McCaffrey 1967_(c)_. All the ensuing titles therein are also trademarks of Anne (and Todd McCaffrey) and _The Worlds of Anne McCaffrey, Ltd_. I am in no way connected with these people, and I do not claim ownership to these characters, lands, or names. I have borrowed them to share a story . . . and most likely not a story either would have written, had they had the time or no. I am making no money from this, and it is just for my entertainment and that of free entertainment to a select group of friends. Thank You.

Distribution: Please ask first?

Setting: AU 10th pass: Telgar Weyr

Note: I have not yet read any of the Todd McCaffrey books in the series, so this is AU, concentrating on a time almost 1000 years after Anne McCaffrey's 9th Pass ends. If this story contradicts any of Mr. McCaffrey's revelations, please forgive me. None of the characters are based on the canon characters, nor are the canon characters ever mentioned.

Second Note: Islinne Weyr was formerly Southern Weyr. For those who wish to know more about the 10th Pass hinted at in this fan-fiction, please contact me.

Feedback: Please? I love comments.

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Near Breeder Crafthall: 3381.06.17 (June 6, 1981)

They were going on a picnic. At least, they'd been granted a free-day from the long trade route. Everyone was excited ... even traders who'd been in the train for turns. Certainly Kayle was excited, and so were Reuben and Taiony.

His name was Kayle, and he was twelve turns old. He'd been in the Southland Runner Train his entire life. His mother had disappeared when he was two, she'd been near delivery time for her babe and now both were presumed dead. His father, Caiony, was the leader of the trader train and one would have to say his requests were filled pretty quickly.

Not that Kayle's were, which suited him fine. He liked to work. Being a trader lad filled his days pretty full. His friends also liked him because of _him_, not because of who he was related to.

They were pretty good guys: Reuben and Taiony.

Reuben was taller than Kayle was; he was the tallest boy around and apprentice at the nearby Breeder Hall, so they only saw each other when the train put up at the Hall. Reuben was bulky, though, where Kayle was slim and athletic. One wouldn't know by looking at Reuben that he was gentle, though he was strong enough to be able to lift his own weight ... but gentle he was. His dark brown hair hung kind of shaggy to his shoulders, and his dark brown eyes were clear and intelligent.

Taiony, his aunt's foster son, was as trim as Kayle and about his height. Whereas Kayle's hair was a golden blond, Taiony's was a slightly lighter shade. He also looked remarkably like Kayle, so people tended to mix them up. Kayle would always say 'Look at the eyes.' Kayle's were dark sea blue. Taiony's were cornflower blue; not the same at all, in most opinions.

Both Reuben and Taiony loved to have fun and were almost always in some sort of mischief or other. Kayle seemed to get matched up with them all the time. He asked once about that, and Caiony said that he was their perfect foil. His responsible nature overshadowed their mischievous ones. Well, they did listen to him, so he supposed Caiony was right.

They'd been granted a free-day from work. Most of the older traders were visiting at local cots while younger ones were being permitted a chance to relax at their host Hall or on the surrounding grounds. Taiony, Reuben, and Kayle had asked to go on a picnic.

Reuben ran past the others as they walked, laughing and talking, towards the kitchens. He slipped past one of the women. As Taiony and Kayle caught up, they found him breathlessly trying to stutter out their needs. Kayle's aunt, Tainna, turned lovely blue eyes to Kayle, and he was just certain she was silently begging for help reigning in the over-sized boy. With a laugh, Kayle put a restraining hand on Reuben's shoulder.

Reuben quieted to uneven panting, trying to regain his breath.

"Can we have a picnic lunch today? Caiony says we're allowed a free-day." Kayle grinned at her, hoping she'd let them have some of the sweets they could smell cooling.

She smiled at them. Kayle permitted her to ruffle his hair as she threw a fond smile at her foster son, Taiony, and said, "Certainly, Kayle. You keep these miscreants out of trouble, and I'll help you pack the basket." Then she turned and bent down to get a nice-sized wooden basket from under the chopping counter.

They didn't have long to wait before the basket was packed with a large quantity of cold meatrolls, bread, a waterskin, and some of those sweets the boys could almost taste. They weren't permitted to eat any of them during the packing, but that made it all the better. Waiting could make any food taste good, according to Reuben.

Kayle grabbed the basket and started out the door, but Caiony entered, stopping him. He held up his hand. "Lads, there have been wildcat sightings, so stay near this Hall on your picnic."

Taiony nodded, Reuben grinned, and Kayle said "Yes, Caiony." The trio hurried out as fast as polite, eager to shed all supervisory types and get out into those beckoning hills.

Once they were out of the compound, though, Reuben snorted in disgust. "Wildcats! They don't attack. They're just like the canines. You just gotta know how to sooth them like."

Taiony added his own boasts. "I'm not afraid. If a wildcat comes near me, I'll skin it for a fur." He ignored Reuben's reproachful glare; the large apprentice was overly fond of any creature, even tunnelsnakes.

Kayle laughed to ease the pair. He wasn't afraid, either. They'd never even seen a wildcat. It was inconceivable that the beasts would bother them. Besides, the boys were all carrying long blades.

Finally, the trio looked around where they'd been walking. It was hilly and rocky, but cool. Shade came down from the larger hills. In the near distance were even some caves, big enough for an adventurous boy to scuttle into. It was the perfect spot in which to enjoy themselves.

Kayle put down the basket, and Taiony unfurled the blanket he'd been carrying.

Reuben, a little up the side of a larger hill, called for them to hurry. They ran after him, scrambling and laughing as rocks slipped under their energetic feet. Scurrying ahead, Reuben called back to the younger Taiony that he was probably too afraid to go into one of the dark, narrow caves without a light. Taiony immediately accepted the challenge, being more courageous than intelligent, to Kayle's thinking.

Taiony stopped near one of the openings, looking down into its dark depths. "No problem!" he called out, and that set off a general scamper into their separately chosen caverns. None of them had any light, since they hadn't thought to bring any, so Kayle assumed they'd all stay near the entrances. And, being so large, Reuben couldn't fit in a lot of the small openings much further, anyway, so that would keep the entire trio close to the entrances.

After perhaps two hours, they were all tired and hungry. Calling a halt to the explorations, (Kayle'd been right about nobody straying too far into those caves), they headed back for their picnic site and that glorious lunch just waiting for them. Kayle slung his arm around Taiony's shoulders, laughing and breathing hard from his exertions. They got to the site pretty quickly ... but all play stopped suddenly at what they saw.

A large tawny colored animal stood there, hunched over in a protective posture. Its head was lowered as its large, lethal looking claws rent their basket into easily assessable pieces. Their blanket was also shredded, but the wildcat was only interested in their meatrolls.

Kayle had never been so afraid in his life. It was as if his body went numb. Just standing there watching in horror, he couldn't even think, let alone act. He didn't even remember where he was as he watched in fascinated horror.

Taiony didn't make a sound, but Reuben started calling out. Kayle guessed the other boy was tried to chase it away ... or worse, trying to lure it closer. Reuben's calls seemed to irritate the feline, because it looked up and hissed. Unfortunately, Kayle realized too late that Taiony had slipped out from under his protective arm. He had his blade in his hand, and, with a leap, Taiony was on the wild cat, tearing at the beast. That cat easily flipped him off and started to maul the sturdy ten turn old.

The sickening sight broke Kayle from his trance-like absorption.

With more anger and fear than he'd ever even had cause to feel before, he drew his blade and let out a yell of challenge. Surprisingly, a protestl echoed from behind. Almost as one, Reuben and Kayle ran towards the feline, though Reuben moaned in misery as the pair attacked the hungry feline, trying to avoid Taiony's bleeding and unconscious form below them.

Kayle managed to get his blade into the feline's back as Reuben reluctantly tore at it from the left. The wildcat didn't seem to appreciate their defense of Taiony, because it lashed out with a horrible forepaw. Reuben ducked but got raked down the hip. His scream of pain fueled Kayle with a determination to help these two other boys survive their stupid picnic.

Kayle circled around to the front and lunged with his knife again. Searing pain all down his right side, arm, and leg told him how stupid that move was. Reuben managed to avoid a huge paw as he came up from his crouch to rip at the wildcat's belly and chest, apparently realizing that it was either the humans or the wildcat. It worked.

With a screaming hiss, the feline almost seemed to flip, it turned so fast. Apparently, two opponents with blades were greater than its hunger. It had eaten their lunch, so that was probably why. Whatever the reason, it ran into the surrounding hills.

They didn't wait for it to get reinforcements.

Reuben and Kayle managed to pull Taiony, still unconscious, up onto his limp feet. One on each side, they started to drag him towards the Hall compound. The pain was great, and the journey, slow. Finally, Reuben swung the smaller Taiony into his large, strong arms. It seemed like hours, but was in reality only minutes, before they were in front of one of the cots.

As Reuben lowered Taiony's to the ground to get help, Kayle felt dizzy; he couldn't stay awake anymore. He knew he'd be helpless if that feline came back, but the darkness claimed him.

His last thoughts, as he sank into welcome dark oblivion, was that the wildcat had enjoyed their picnic and would probably have added the boys into the meal if it'd been able. So, in the end, it _had_ been lunch ... from a different point of view.

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FIN


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